Air cleaner



Aug. 28, 1951 P. KETELSEN Filed July 29, 1948 AIR CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Snoentor (Ittorneg s A? 1951 P. KETELSEN 2565,69

AIR CLEANER Filed July 29, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 l a nngn or Peferfife/sen Patented Aug. 28, 1951 were instants,

Wi hita, Ka'iiia, a'ssignor to Air Abijlittiida-Ina, Wichita, Kaiis a corporation Application July-29, 1948, Serial No. 41,199 5' Claims. ((1183 57) This invention relates to air cleaners adapted 'for connection in air s upply'ducts to remove foreign particles prior to delivery of air tovariou's pneumatic machines and has fordtsbfincipalobject to provide a device of this character with a strainer element that is readily cleaned of foreign material by reversai of an new therethrough.

Other objects of the invention areto provide a simple and eflicient air cleaner structure; to provide an air cleaner wherein particles dislodged 'from the strainer element arereadilydischarged without necessitating removal Of the cleaner from the air linesto which itisconne'cted; and

:to provide an air cleanerwith means ifor trapping particles which have been-dislodged from the strainer element and prevent their agitation resulting in pressure pulsations-in "the cleaner.

In accomplishing these and 'other objects of the invention, I have provided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an air cleaner constructed iii-accordance with the present invention and showing the 'valveplug in position to pass air through the strainer element for removing foreign material that may be entrained therewith.

Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection on the line '22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa section similar to'Fig. -1 but showing the valve in position for reversing flow of 'air through the strainer element.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view-of the valve-plug.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the valve plug as viewed from the opposite side.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates an air cleaner'constructed in accordance with the present invention and which includes a bowl member 2 and ahead-member 3 cooperating therewith in forming a receptacle having a collecting chamber 4 for containing a strainer element 5. The bowl member 2 may be formed of a transparent material and has a cylindrical side wall 6 joining in a roundedbottom I. The upper edge of the wall 6 terminates in a laterally extending flange B by which the bowl member 2 is clamped to the head member 3 as later described. The headmember 3 may be formed of any suitable material-and includes a substantially dome-shaped body shaving a laterally extending marginal flange that is provided on the underside with a; shouldered groove 2 I l toseat the end face of the flange 8 of the bowl 'mernberi.

The bowl member 2 is retained in seated position by a clamping ring 12 encircling the cylindrical wall 6 and which has its upper face provided with an annular shoulder 13 to engage the undersideof the flange 8 as best shown in-Figs.

l and 3. The clamping ring I2 is secured to the flange ID by fastening devices such as cap screws N that extend through apertured ears [5 projecting from the flange and clamping ring.

The underportion of the dome-shaped body 9 forms a recess l6 to cooperate with the interior of the bowl member in providing the collecting chamber 4. Extending transversely of the domeshaped body on the respective sides of an axial boss 11 are lateral bosses l8 and I9 having inlet and outlet ports 20 and 2| respectively. The lateral bosses are provided at their outer ends with internally threaded counterbores 22 and 23 for connecting adjacent sections 24 and 25 of an air duct which leads from the source of compressed air supply to one or more pneumatically operated machines (not shown) The boss I! has an axial bore "26 intersecting the inlet and outlet ports 20 and 2| and rotatably mounted therein is a substantially cylindrical valve plug 2! having its upper end flush with the boss [1 and its opposite end provided with an eccentric boss 28 which projects slightly within the collecting chamber as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The valve plug includes an axial channel 29 opening through a port 36 in the eccentric boss and which terminates slightly above the inlet and outlet ports to connect with radial ports 3| and 32. The radial ports are arranged at right angles to each other so that when the valve plug is in one position the port 3i registers with the outlet port 2| and port 32 is closed as shown in Fig. 2 and when the valve plug is in another position as shown in Fig. 4, the'port 32 connects with the inlet port 26 and the port 31 is closed.

The side of the valve plug opposite the port 3! has a notch-like recess 33 for connecting the inlet port 20 with the collecting chamber 4 when the valve plug is in the position shown in Fig. 2. A seal is provided about the valve plug by a sealing ring 34 inserted in a circumferential groove 35 at a point above the inlet and outlet ports. The ring effects a positive sealing contact with the wall'of the bore 26, but allows free turning of the valve upon insertion of a key (not shown) within a slot 36 formed in the head of the valve plug as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

To retain the valve in position and allow turning of the valve plug from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, the side thereof above the sealing ring 34 is provided with an arcuate recess or groove 31 to engage a pin-like terminal 38 on a screw 39 that is threaded into an opening 40 of the axial boss as shown in Fig. 1. The ends of the arcuate groove form stops to retain the valve plug in its respective positions, that is, where the port 3| connects with the outlet port 2| or the port 32 connects with the inlet port 20.

The strainer element 5 is of tubular form and comprises a substantially frusto-conical foraminated or perforated wall 4| with the larger end sleeved over the eccentric boss and retained thereon by a wire clamp 42 which presses the foraminated material of the wall into a groove 43 of the eccentric boss as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The lower end of the foraminated wall is closed so that the port 30 is closed from the chamber 4 except through the apertures provided by the foraminated wall of the strainer element.

It is obvious that the strainer must be constructed of fine wire to give the desired fineness of mesh. Consequently, the walls thereof are strengthened by an insert 44 that is formed by a similar shaped wire form of stronger construction that is placed therein as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

With the structure thus far described and assuming that the valve plug is turned to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the notch-like recess 33 connects with the inlet port 20 and the radial port 3| connects with the outlet port 2|. The compressed air from the source of supply then passes through the port 20, recess 33 into the collecting chamber for discharge through the wall of the strainer element and through the ports 29,

stem. 'To' facilitate turning of the valve stem the outer end thereof may be provided with a suitable handle or cross bar 6|.

When the air is flowing to the collecting chamber any pulsations therein may cause the strained out material to become agitated within the collecing chamber. To prevent this difficulty, the guard member 5| is preferably of disk-like form and has a downwardly directed circumferential 3| and 2| to the pneumatic machine to be oper- I ated.

It is thus obvious that any foreign material that may be entrained with the air is stopped on the exterior side of the foraminated wall 4| of the strainer and gravitates to the bottom of the collecting chamber so that only clean air is delivered to the outlet port 2|.

During operation of the cleaner, the strainer element tends to clog because of the removed material collecting thereon. This material is dislodged without disconnecting the cleaner from the pipe line by inserting the key (not shown) within the slot-like recess 36 of the valve plug and turning the valve plug to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 so that the port 32 registers with the inlet port 20 and the notch-like recess 33 and port 3| are out of registry with the inlet and outlet ports. The compressed air is then discharged through the radial port 32 and directly through the channel 29 and port 30 into the inside of the strainer element 5 where the air is discharged through the foraminatecl wall 4| thereof to dislodge the collected material.

To facilitate dislodgment of the material and removal thereof from the collecting chamber, the bottom of the bowl member is provided with a blow-ofi valve 46 which includes a fitting 41 having a threaded body portion 48 projecting through an opening 49 at the bottom of the bowl member and which threadedly engages a collar 50 on a guard member 5|. The fitting has an annular flange 52 for seating a gasket ring 53 to provide a leak-tight seal about the opening 49. The fitting 41 has an internally threaded bore 54 terminating in a conical valve seat 55 for seating the cone-shaped head 56 on the end of the valve stem 51. The valve stem 51 is internally threadflange 62' terminating slightly short of the bottom of the bowl member to cooperate therewith in forming a trapping chamber 63 in which separated particles are caused to gravitate and collect about' the collar 50 ready for discharge through the openings 59 therein when the blowoff valve is opened as previously described.

When desired the valve plug and strainer may be removed for inspection or replacement upon the loosening of the screw 39 so that the pin 38 is disengaged from the arcuate groove 31 of the valve plug. The valve plug may then be lifted out of the bore 26, the strainer element being carried therewith.

From the foregoing it is obvious I have provided an air cleaner having a strainer element that is readily cleaned without removal from the air line in which it is connected, merely by adjusting the valve plug to reverse the flow through the strainer and opening the blow-oil valve to dislodge the material and effect discharge from the collecting chamber. It is also obvious that I have provided a cleaner that is of simple and inexpensive construction and which may be readily installed in any duct or supply pipe leading from a source of air supply to protect the pneumatic machines from clogging or abrasion by any solid particles carried by the air.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air cleaner comprising a bowl member, a head member cooperating with the bowl member for forming a chamber to collect foreign material and having an inlet and an outlet adapted for connection into an air line, said head member having a transverse bore interconnecting the inlet and outlet, a valve plug oscillatable in said bore and having an axial port, a tubular strainer element suspended from the valve plug and separating said port from the collecting chamber, said valve plug also having radial ports connected with the axial port adapted for alternate connection with the inlet and outlet and having a port adapted for connection with the inlet when one of said radial ports is connected with the outlet, to effect flow through the strainer element from the collecting chamber to said outlet in one position of the Valve plug, said ports being arranged so that when said other radial port is in connection with the inlet the other of said ports are closed from said outlet to discharge material from the strainer into the collecting chamber.

2. An air cleaner comprising a bowl member, a head member cooperating with the bowl member for forming a chamber to collect foreign material and having an inlet and an outlet adapted for connection into an air line, said head member having a transverse bore interconnecting the inlet and outlet, a valve plug oscillatable in said bore and having an axial port, a tubular strainer element suspended from the valve plug and separating said port from the collecting chamber, said valve plug also having radial ports connected with the axial port adapted for alternate connection with the inlet and outlet and having a port adapted for connection with the inlet when one of said radial ports is connected with the outlet to effect flow through the strainer element from the collecting chamber to said outlet in one position of the valve plug, said ports being arranged so that in another position of the valve plug the other radial port is in connection with the inlet and the other ports are closed from said outlet to effect a reverse flow through the strainer element, a blow-oil valve connected with the lower portion of the bowl member for discharging material dislodged from the strainer element when the valve plug is in said other position, and a guard supported in the collecting chamber over said blow-off valve.

3. An air cleaner comprising a closed receptacle forming a chamber for collecting foreign iaterial having inlet and outlet connections for an air line and provided with a valve cham-- ber which intersects inlet and outlet ports in communication with the inlet and outlet connections, a tubular screening element projecting into the collecting chamber and having a closed lower end, a valving member movable within the receptacle and having a passageway connected with an upper portion of the collecting chamber on the exterior side of the screening element and having a passageway connecting the interior or the screening element with the outlet connection in one position of the valving member whereby foreign material discharged through the inlet connection is screened out on the exterior side of the screening element to drop into the collecting chamber, said valving member having a portion for closing said outlet connection and having a passageway adapted to connect the inlet connection with the interior side of the screening element in another position of the valving member to effect discharge of any foreign material adhering to the outer side of the screen by the air admitted to the interior side of the screening element, and means in the bottom of the receptacle for discharging said screened out material.

4. An air cleaner comprising a closed receptacle forming a chamber for collecting foreign material having inlet and outlet connections for an air line and provided with a valve chamber which intersects inlet and outlet ports in communication with the inlet and outlet connections, a tubular screening element projecting into the collecting chamber and having a closed lower end, a valving member movable within the receptacle and having a passageway connected with an upper portion of the collecting chamber on the exterior side of the screening element and having a passageway connecting the interior of the screening element with the outlet connection n One position of the valving member whereby foreign material discharged through the inlet connection is screened out on the exterior side of the screening element to drop into the collecting chamber, said valving member having a portion for closing said outlet connection and having a passageway adapted to connect the inlet connection with the interior side of the screening element in another position of the valving member to effect discharge of any foreign material adhering to the outer side of the screen by the air admitted to the interior side Of the screening element, means in the bottom of the receptacle for discharging said screened out material, and a guard supported in the collecting chamber between the screening element and the discharging means.

5. An air cleaner comprising a closed receptacle forming a chamber for collecting foreign material having inlet and outlet connections for an air line and provided with a valve chamber which intersects inlet and outlet ports in communication with the inlet and outlet connections, a tubular screening element projecting into the collecting chamber and having a closed lower end, a valving member movable within the receptacle and having a portion suspending the screening element in the collecting chamber in spaced relation with said bottom, said valving member having a passageway connected with an upper portion of the collecting chamber on the exterior side of the screening element and having a passageway connecting the interior of the screening element with the outlet connection in one position of the valving member whereby foreign material discharged through the inlet connection is screened out on the exterior side of the screening element to drop into the collecting chamber, said valving member having a portion for closing said outlet connection and having a passageway adapted to connect the inlet connection with the interior side of the screening element in another position of the valving member to effect discharge of any foreign material adhering to the outer side of the screen by the air admitted to the interior side of the screening element, and means in the bottom of the receptacle for discharging said screened out material.

PETER KETELSEN.

REFERENiJES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Numb-er Name Date 805,237 Sears Nov. 21, 1905 1,127,242 Hay Feb. 2, 1915 1,176,233 OBrien Mar. 21, 1916 1,538,292 Lindsay May 19, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 538,778 Great Britain Aug. 15, 1941 689,499 France May 27, 1930 

